Band of the Day: The BlackLava

A quick trip to the lovely country of Italy to regale you with some Latin rock n’ roll!

Simple things first – where are you guys from?

Karlo: We came from Italy – Turin, in the north!

How did you meet?

Karlo: We came from other bands and we already knew each other. I knew Mark because we had played together at a festival and then we became friends and I knew Fra because he played in a cool band and then we also became work colleagues. Diego became a member of Blacklava because he knew the former bass player!

How long have you been playing as a band?

Karlo: From 2014. We started with a different line up. Mark was the guitarist and our friend and tattoo artist Gabriele Francisetti was the bass player. After 3 years he decided to leave the band and Mark became the bass player. For 1 year our friend Matteo “Zeta” became our solo guitar player. In the summer of 2019 Fra “VIP” became our guitar player and producer. So, for us it’s very important to stay connected with all the ex-members. It’s like a family for us.

Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?

Karlo: Our drummer had just gone to Turkey on vacation and he had eaten the typical dessert: The Baklava. When he came back from the trip, we were thinking about the name of the band and he changed the name of the Turkish dessert to “The Blacklava” and everyone liked how it sounded.

What are your influences?

Mark: We are influenced by many bands and each of us listen to various kinds of music even if in the branch of rock. Anyway the bands mostly influencing us are Royal Blood, Rival Sons, Foo Fighters… Every member of the band likes them very much.

Describe your music. What makes you unique?

Mark: Our music is a mix between alternative rock and vintage rock with octaver a-go-go. I don’t know if it’s unique but surely it’s the result of listening to many kinds of music.

Do you have any particular lyrical themes?

Diego: Our singer writes the principal riffs and lyrics. They speak about feelings, icons, sex and we speak about some characters from TV series. He takes the lyrics instinctively!

What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?

Karlo: Our electric shows are very energetic! You can feel the passion! And our acoustic shows can be energetic and emotive.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?

Mark: About 15 years ago I was at a punk hardcore festival and during Lag Wagon show a drunk man was pissing around the pit!

What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?

Mark: Our kit is very simple. I use Gretch bass with Sans amp or Fender amps, Karl uses Ibanez guitars and Orange amps and Francesco uses Fender Telecaster or Les Paul Custom guitars and Kemper Amplifier Diego uses a Drumsound.

What are your plans for 2020?

Karlo: At the end of 2019 we signed with the German Label Frozen-Heart. So we are ready to play abroad. In February we will release a new song called “Woman” and a new video with a story and later on a remix of “Bones” from As Black As My Heart.

If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!

Karlo: It’s a strange period of time. 10 years ago with had a lot of bandmates: amazing bands. Now if I think of cool bands I can’t find any. They either broke up or changed genre. Perhaps it is not the right musical period! We hope for the best!

The Blacklava: facebook | youtube | spotify

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